Naseeruddin Shah-starrer "Today's Special", a comedy set in New York City, will open the Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council (MIAAC) Film Festival here next month that will have 47 screenings including 44 premieres of features, documentaries and short films.

Now in its ninth year, the annual festival from November 11-15 will present veteran Shyam Benegal's comic take on Indian politics "Well Done Abba" and Anurag Kashyap's "Gulaal".

The festival closes with "Antaheen - The Endless Wait" starring Sharmila Tagore and Aparna Sen, both of whom will attend the festival.

Aasif Mandvi's "Today's Special" is the story of Samir (Aasif himself), is a sous chef who dreams of heading his boss's hot new restaurant. There is a twist in his life and Samir is heartbroken before he finds Akbar (Naseeruddin), a taxi driver and former chef in Mumbai, who inspires him to embrace life.

Santosh Sivan's "Tahaan", about the adventures of a little boy and his pet donkey in militancy-hit Kashmir, is the festival centrepiece on November 13.

MIAAC's star guest list includes Naseeruddin Shah, Sharmila Tagore, Farhan Ahktar, Manisha Koirala, Rahul Bose, Shabana Azmi, Deepti Naval, Madhur Jaffrey, Mira Nair, Javed Akhtar, Shyam Benegal and Buddhadeb Dasgupta.

According to the organisers, the opening, closing and centrepiece films represent the festival's focus, genres, and themes - from independent films to Diaspora artists; from New York to the new Global India; from social concern to romantic comedy.

Another new talent in this year's selections is Raja Menon who directs the Naseeruddin in his "Barah Anna". Other films include Sudhir Mishra's "Ride On Johnny" and Joseph Mathew-Varghese's debut venture "Bombay Summer".

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